Year In Review: Hesperia revels in growth mode

Tuesday

Jan 2, 2018 at 3:13 PMJan 2, 2018 at 3:13 PM

HESPERIA — From new developments to the health of a councilman, 2017 was a year of growth, controversy and hope for the Gateway City of the High Desert.

Hesperia experienced tremendous growth in the areas of commercial, infrastructure and retail development. It also welcomed two new Councilmembers, approved a cannabis ordinance and a first-ever by-district map, which will be used in the 2018 and 2020 elections.

“We accomplished a lot in 2017 and next year looks to be an exciting one,” Mayor Russ Blewett said. “We have a great Council and city staff that are determined to continue our success.”

The following is a breakdown of the five most memorable events that occured in Hesperia in 2017 as determined by the Daily Press.

1. Tapestry lawsuits settled

After the City Council approved the Tapestry housing project nearly two years ago, a nearly 18-month court battle stopped the Terra Verde Group from moving forward with its nearly 16,000-unit master-housing plan.

In June, a settlement was reached between Terra Verde and the Center for Biological Diversity, which led the lawsuit along with the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society and the Sierra Club.

The lawsuit claimed Tapestry’s homes would destroy more than 5,800 acres of wildlands, endangered species’ critical habitat, wetlands and farmland.

The settlement included trimming the project down to 15,633 homes by eliminating 533 homes in the south end of the project (Grass Valley Village area). That major concession by the developer added 1,060 additional acres of open space for wildlife and the endangered Arroyo toad. It also will create several habitat enhancements and corridors that will allow wildlife to move around and under roadways.

The 30-year construction project in southeast Hesperia will be built in 10 phases and will increase the population of Hesperia by about 48,000.

A settlement also was reached with the Crestline Sanitation District when Terre Verde removed a portion of Phase 10 and offered the district a long-term agreement for water discharge.

The sanitation district said that Tapestry posed “substantial conflicts” with its wastewater management operation in Phase 10 of the specific plan as it would discharge secondary treated waste into nearly 825 acres of the property formerly known as Las Flores Ranch.

Construction of the Tapestry Project should begin some time in 2019, after the city approves Terra Verde’s financial and development agreements, and construction plans.

2. Major developments

The city saw an onslaught of commercial and retail development last year, including the grand opening of ALDI, Planet Fitness, the Villa’s 55-plus senior community, Wendy’s, Starbucks and the Secard Business Park and Superstore.

The opening of the new ALDI grocery store on Main Street in September drew shoppers, many from down the hill, who were looking for opening day deals, organic products and speciality items.

In August, Eagle Real Estate Group introduced the Villa’s 55-plus senior community, a 96-unit gated community located east of the I-15 on Avenal Street, just east of Mariposa Road. Construction on a second set of 96 units is expected to begin sometime in 2018.

Starbucks was the first shop to move into the first phase of the High Desert Gateway II Shopping Center located at southwest corner of Main Street and Cataba Road. A Jimmy John’s, Fatburger, Shell gas station and 5-Star nails are expected to join the coffee shop soon.

In November, the city welcomed Aemerge RedPak and its 37,700-square-foot medical waste treatment facility. Redpak is using its patented “Carbonizer” to turn organic waste into “syngas,” capable of being used for production of clean energy and carbon-based co-products.

3. Widening of Ranchero Road

With daily traffic at nearly 14,000 vehicles and no funds to begin the entire Ranchero Road Widening Project, the city decided to widen 1.3 miles of the busy roadway that connects the city to the Interstate 15 interchange.

During the project, Ranchero Road was widened from two to four lanes between Kern and Topaz avenues. The project was completed over the summer and includes a turn pocket at the intersection of Maple Avenue.

Price of the recent widening project came in at nearly $400,000, a fraction of the $34 million price tag for widening Ranchero Road from I-15 to the Ranchero Road Underpass on the east side of Hesperia. The cost of the entire project does not include traffic signalization, which will be done at Maple, Seventh, Cottonwood, Oxford, Farmdale and Danbury avenues.

Commuters began to experience traffic congestion along Ranchero Road after Phase I and II of the Ranchero Corridor Project were completed.

The railroad underpass (Phase 1) near Santa Fe Avenue was completed in 2013 and the Ranchero Interchange (Phase II) at Interstate 15 was opened two years ago.

The western portion of Phase III is within San Bernardino County’s jurisdiction and is expected to cost approximately $11 million. The Terra Verde Group will fund nearly $12 million of the project as part of the Tapestry Project in southeast Hesperia.

4. Councilman Paul Russ health issues

Councilman Paul Russ made the New Orleans area his temporary home, as the former mayor waited to receive organs through Ochsner Medical Center.

Earlier this year, doctors told Russ they discovered he had a cancerous liver and his only kidney, donated by his late brother 30 years ago, was beginning to fail.

Russ moved to a studio apartment in Harahan, Louisiana in mid-November and got word on Christmas day that a donor had been found for him.

Russ, who said his recent CT scan showed both tumors shrank substantially due to his chemotherapy treatment, continues to communicate with the city and attend Council meetings through online telecommunication applications.

5. Oak Hills High hazing suits settled

The Hesperia Unified School District doled out a half-million dollars to settle two cases brought by former Oak Hills High School freshman football players who claimed they were subjected to sexual hazing on campus.

One case brought national attention in 2016 when ESPN's “Outside the Lines” aired the segment that featured Josh Villegas, who claimed he had been touched inappropriately by older players as part of regular hazing rituals at OHHS. That case was settled at the beginning of the year for $375,000.

The second case, brought by a starting player on the Bulldogs' football team, was settled and finalized for $125,000.

In the lawsuit, the alleged victim, identified only as “John KZ Doe” said he had also been touched inappropriately as part of the ritual.

In both cases, per terms of the settlements, the HUSD admitted no liability or wrongdoing, and each side bore its own costs and fees connected to litigation.